


Congratulations to the dry eyes

by andrea_deer



Series: 200 Prompts Challenge [4]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Angst, M/M, Mycroft's POV, No happy endings, ice man
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-02
Updated: 2014-11-02
Packaged: 2018-02-23 15:24:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2552408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/andrea_deer/pseuds/andrea_deer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>Mycroft quickly realized though that to avoid disappointment he couldn't possibly start assuming Lestrade would always figure everything out faster, that he would always be cleverer, that he wouldn’t be too far behind Mycroft. Because he always was and Mycroft had to wait for him to catch up.</i>
</p><p>Sequel to: <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/2552384">A Reason To Leave</a>. (Makes more sense after reading that one.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Congratulations to the dry eyes

**Author's Note:**

> Filled for thie prompt in 200 Prompts Meme ([LJ](http://thenorthwing.livejournal.com/10960.html) | [Tumblr](http://5thbaronet.tumblr.com/post/101297508584/200-prompts-meme))
> 
>  **Congratulations to the dry eyes** – Mycroft/Lestrade, _Mycroft moves on._ (Failed at that a bit, 'cause Mycroft doesn't really move on that much, oops.)

Gregory was always several steps behind, moving just barely half a step faster than most people Mycroft had to interact with. It was entertaining. One slightly cleverer example of general public. It was surprising. Every time it happened, every time Gregory figured something out before Mycroft expected him to, it was a pleasant thrill only strengthened by Lestrade’s self-satisfied smirk. 

Mycroft quickly realized though that to avoid disappointment he couldn't possibly start assuming Lestrade would always figure everything out faster, that he would always be cleverer, that he wouldn’t be too far behind Mycroft. Because he always was and Mycroft had to wait for him to catch up.

When he noticed Gregory’s attraction being more open, he was tempted to make a move, but stopped himself with a long earned patience. He had to wait until Lestrade noticed it himself. It took at least a week less than he predicted and he was very pleasantly surprised, when suddenly asked out for dinner.

When almost a year later he noticed Gregory was unhappy with their arrangement he tried to correct it before Gregory would notice it himself, but it seemed to have the opposite effect. It only seemed to draw Lestrade’s attention to the distance between them and affirm his displeasure. Confronting him on the issue would finally break the fight the man so craved, but would've solve nothing. Nothing that could be changed remained unchanged, everything else was just as it had to be. There was no unexplored way to fix the situation at hand.

Mycroft waited patiently, with freezing calmness of the Ice Man he was accused of being, until Gregory realized the clearly unavoidable conclusion of their relationship and left. When it finally happened, Mycroft kept on drinking his scotch as the door slammed behind his ex-lover leaving in anger. He gave himself the rest of the evening off and went to sleep early to get enough rest, ready to start his work early the next day. Picking up the hours he cut, when he entered the relationship with Gregory, knowing even then that he won’t fall far behind on his schedule. 

It actually lasted just a bit longer than he expected.


End file.
